SHAWNEE, Okla. - The third-seeded Rogers State baseball team plated two runs in the top of the ninth to propel the Hillcats past seventh-seeded St. Gregory's, 9-7, on Thursday afternoon at Ford Park on the campus of Oklahoma Baptist University.  

The Hillcat offense started strong as they plated three runs in the top of the first. Eric Baker and Hector Rivera opened the frame with consecutive hits as Colton Campbell drove them in with a double off the wall in right-center field. Cody Campbell capped the scoring with a RBI single through the left side of the infield to push Colton Campbell across home plate for a 3-0 lead.

SGU battled back in the bottom of the frame as it plated a pair of runs with a two-out double to right-center field by Trey Sears.

The Cavaliers retired the Hillcats in order in the top of the second and knotted the score in the bottom of the inning with a two-out RBI single by Trevor Nelson.

RSU regained the lead in the top of the third. Colton Campbell led off the inning with a double to deep right-center field and scored on a one-out triple off the wall in right-center by Cody Campbell. Cade McKewon hit a sacrifice fly to center field to bring Cody Campbell home and give RSU a 5-3 advantage. However, SGU answered in the bottom half of the inning with a RBI single to shallow center field by Sears to cut the deficit to 5-4.

Cody Campbell belted two-out single through the left side to plate Brandon Bargas and Rivera in the top of the fourth to push the lead to 7-4. The Cavs battled back in the fifth with a RBI single to shallow right field by Jacob Douglas, sending Jordan Funtila home after drawing a leading off walk earlier in the inning.  

The Hillcats let the lead slip away in the seventh as SGU knotted the game 7-7, plating two runs. With one out, Nelson doubled down the left field line and scored on a single to center field by Douglas. With two outs and runners on the corners, Roberto Celestino hit a RBI single to shallow center field to tie the game.

RSU capitalized in the top of the ninth as Ramirez led off the inning with a single up the middle and Cade McKewon followed, reaching base after being hit by a pitch. Keith Poverud laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners into scoring position. Bargas belted the ball into center field where Funtila misplayed the fly ball, allowing two runs to score. That was all the run support the Cats would need as Eric Faust faced the minimum in the bottom of the frame to secure the victory.

Faust (8-2) recorded the win as he tossed the final 2.2 innings in relief and allowed one run on four hits with one strikeout. Kyle Duncan started the game and tossed 6.1 innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts and one walk.

SGU relief pitcher Trent Blackwater (2-3) was tagged with the loss for SGU. He tossed 4.1 innings in relief, giving up two unearned runs on two hits with two strikeouts and three walks. Ben Moore closed out the final two thirds of an inning, allowing one walk. Starter Michael Sisson tossed four innings and allowed seven runs on four hits with one walk while fanning two.

Cody and Colton Campbell combined to drive in six of the seven RBI for the Hillcats. Cody Campbell and Hector Rivera tallied three hits apiece to lead RSU.

Douglas led the Cavaliers as he went 4-for-5 with two RBI.

Rogers State (42-13) returns to the diamond against tournament host Oklahoma Baptist on Friday evening at 6 p.m. Live audio will be streamed at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.